On famine and fever as cause and effect in Ireland : with observations on hospital location, and the dispensation in outdoor relief of food and medicine / by D.J. Corrigan.

  • Corrigan, Dominic John, 1802-1880.
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On famine and fever as cause and effect in Ireland : with observations on hospital location, and the dispensation in outdoor relief of food and medicine / by D.J. Corrigan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Greek adage. The opinion advanced in the following pages, that Famine and Fever are, in Ireland, as cause and effect, is an opinion formed not in haste or excitement. It is now more than fifteen years ( Vide Lancet, 1830) since I first advanced this opinion, which time, opportunity, and long continued observation have strengthened. I believe that the republication of this opinion, and a review of the facts on which it has been founded, will not be inopportune at the present time. The state of the Potato Crop throughout Ireland is now a subject of great anxiety. Whether Pro- vidence in its mercy will arrest the destruction now going on, or will, in its wisdom, permit the poor man’s food to con- tinue to melt away into rottenness, is beyond human foresight to divine. Should the infliction continue its ravages, it is surely right vve should all have timely warning, that another evil as dreadful as Famine is likely to follow, namely, Pesti- lence, unless we exert ourselves to supply our people with food. I am aware, that, for publishing these pages at the present time, I may be censured by many as an alarmist; I would however, ask those who may censure me—even admitting that the dreaded evils Famine and Fever do not come—what injury is there in the alarm ? I cannot see any. The alarm, it is true, may temporarily shake the nerves of the timid, but it cannot deteriorate the condition of the poor. Should Famine not arrive, then temporary alarm, and nothing more, has accrued ; but should it come, with Pestilence in its track, timely warning having been given, it will come upon us not unprepared to meet it. Those who for the sake of tem- B